Cinnamon Rolls with Vanilla Bean Glaze (Dairy Free & Gluten Free!)

Prep time: 1 hour 50 mins (I skipped 45 minutes of the waiting periods steps and it turned out good!)
Cook time: 25 mins
Total time: 2 hours 15 mins
Servings: Makes 12 rolls

Recipe found through a facebook Gluten + dairy free group, originally posted on Ambitious Kitchen. All of my revisions and comments are noted in italics and purple font color.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup unsweetened almond milk, warmed to 110 degrees F
1/3 cup granulated sugar*
2 1/4 teaspoons dry active yeast (use the fast rising kind)
2 eggs
1/4 cup melted coconut oil*
4 cups Pamela's Gluten Free Bread Mix (about 1 small package)
1 2/3 cups Pamela's Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour - Artisan Blend, plus more for dusting (oops, I used gluten free corn flower and hey, the recipe still turned out good!)
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup coconut oil, softened but not melted*
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

For the glaze:
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1-2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk, depending on how thick you like your glaze
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
seeds from one vanilla bean
(this is the glaze the recipe called for. I'm not a big store bought almond milk fan, so next time I would like to try a glaze with perhaps soy milk or another alternative)


INSTRUCTIONS

1. Add milk, sugar and yeast to the large bowl of an electric mixer. It's important to make sure the milk isn't too hot or it will kill the yeast. On the other hand, if the milk is too cool, the yeast will not activate. Let the yeast with the milk for 5 minutes, do not touch or stir. You will know if the yeast activated properly if by the end of 5 minutes, it has started to bubble or foam a bit.
2. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together both flours and salt; set aside.
3. Once the milk is a bit foamy, add in the eggs, coconut oil and half of the flour mixture; stir until just combined. Then add in the rest of the flour, 1/2 cup at a time, and stir again until just combined. Place dough hook on your mixer and run on medium-low speed for about 8 minutes. Alternatively you can knead the dough by hand for about 10 minutes. The dough should be elastic like but not sticky. Grease a large bowl with oil or cooking spray. Add dough and turn over, making sure to coat it all with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap and a towel, then place in a warm place to rise for a little over 1 hour or until doubled in size. If you want bigger rolls, let it rise for up to 2 hours! (I got away with just keeping this in the oven for 45 minutes)
   Tip: I usually turn my oven to 200 degrees then immediately turn it off to create a little heat. After that I place my bowl of dough in the oven to help it rise. Works every single time!
4. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray or coconut oil. Once the dough is doubled in size, punch it down! Sprinkle a little gluten free flour on your rolling surface, then roll out the dough into a 15x9 inch rectangle. Spread 1/3 cup of coconut oil all over dough (you'll want it to be easily spreadable so it's okay if it's a little melted). Mix the cinnamon and brown sugar together then sprinkle all over dough. Use your hands to rub sugar/cinnamon mixture into the dough a little bit. Beginning at the larger end, tightly roll up the dough and pinch the edges together to seal. Use a serrated knife or unflavored dental floss to cut the dough into roughly 2 inch sections so that you have 12 rolls total; place rolls in pan. 
5. Cover with plastic wrap and place on top of oven to rise again for 30 minutes. (I skipped this step and went straight to baking and it still turned out good)
6. Once you are ready to bake the rolls, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake rolls in oven for 20-25 minutes or until a tiny bit golden brown on the edges. Mine were perfect around 23 minutes. Remember you don't want to over bake them or they'll turn rock solid. Once rolls are finished baking, set aside to cool for 5-10 minutes while you make the glaze.
7. In a small bowl whisk together powdered sugar, almond milk, vanilla and vanilla bean. Add more almond milk if you want a thinner glaze. Drizzle over warm cinnamon rolls and serve immediately! 

NOTES
If you are not dairy free, you can use regular milk and butter in this recipe, if you so choose.

What can I use besides coconut oil?
If you aren’t dairy free, you can use butter. If you still want to make these dairy free, you can use a vegan buttery spread.

Can I sub something for the regular sugar and/or brown sugar?
Yes! You can use maple sugar or coconut sugar, if you prefer a refined sugar free treat. The filling might not necessary taste the same, but I’m sure they will still be delicious!

Can I make these vegan?
The only thing that is preventing these from being vegan is the egg. Unfortunately I had a reader report that using a flax egg didn’t turn out too well for them.

Can I make these the night before and bake them in the morning?
Yes! To make these into overnight cinnamon rolls, do not let dough rise the second time, instead place rolls in pan (after the first rising), cover with plastic wrap, then immediately place in the fridge. The dough will rise overnight again. The next morning take rolls out of the fridge and let them sit at room temperature or in a warm spot for 30-45 minutes, then bake as directed. Ta-da! (But note - these also taste GREAT up to 2 days after so there's no need to make it fresh the day of if that's what you're aiming for, it tastes just as good when reheating a day or two later).

Matcha Vanilla Spiced Latte

I finally gave in to try the matcha craze and love it.

Recipe:
6 oz warm soy vanilla milk
2 oz warm water
1 teaspoon Jade Matcha or any other Matcha of your choosing*
1 teaspoon honey
sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg
Optional: add Collagen Peptides

*I bought the 30g (1oz) Organic Matcha Green Tea Powder, by Jade Leaf Organic. It has 30 servings for the recipe above. UPDATE: I found a better deal, the same price for twice the quantity with Organic TEAki Hut. TEAki Hut sells 2oz and 4oz.

MEAL PREP GAME: 

Love my morning lattes so much, I added it to my weekly meal prep. Each container is 1 latte serving.

I use the Rubbermaid snack box containers (.5 cup capacity) which are part of the Lunch Blox Container Kit.

Mamas Corn Patties

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup corn
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:
Mix all ingredients and fry on pan patties the size of a cup cake circle size. Taste good when served hot or cold!

Quinoa Salad with chickpeas, lemon and mint

Image from original recipe posting on Food52

Serves 4-6

Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 a large shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
3 cups cooked quinoa (from 1 cup uncooked)
1 stalk celery, in 1/4 -inch dice
1/4 cup raisins
1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas, drained
1/4 cup finely sliced mint leaves
1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped.

In a large bowl, combine the lemon juice, shallot, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and let stand while you pull together the rest of the dish.
Add the quinoa, chickpeas, celery, raisins, mint and olives, if using. Toss together.
Taste for seasoning and add remaining salt and pepper, or maybe lemon juice, if needed.
Serve at room temperature or place in an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to serve.
If serving from the refrigerator, let it sit for a few minutes to shake off the chill - this salad is best at room temperature.

Recipe from Food52.

Quinoa Salad with Hazelnuts, Apple, and Dried Cranberries

Serves 4

1 cup quinoa, rinsed well (any other grain will do as well. I used farro)
1 1/2 cups water, for quinoa
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
2 stalks of celery, finely diced
1 cup hazelnuts, toasted, de-skinned and chopped (or use any nuts you have - I used almond slivers and raw cashews)
1 bunch (about 5 to 6) green onions, chopped (green parts only)
1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped * see note
1 bunch flat leaf parsley, thoroughly rinsed and chopped
1 gala apple (really, any kind of apple will do)
1 large lemon, juiced
Generous drizzle of any kind of oil (I like hazelnut)
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Preheat your oven to 325F and toast your hazelnuts for about 7-10 minutes. Let them cool completely. You should begin to hear their skins crackle while cooling; this is a good sign!  Skip this step if you don't use hazelnuts.
2. Meanwhile, cook your quinoa. Importantly, rinse it well! Boil the water with a pinch of salt, and add your rinsed quinoa. Turn your stove down to medium-low and let it cook for roughly 15 minutes, or until the water is absorbed. Fluff quinoa with a fork, and let it cool in the fridge. 
3. Going back to the cooled, toasted hazelnuts; remove the skins. Chop the hazelnuts up, leaving them in large pieces. Skip this step if you don't use hazelnuts.
4. Preheat a skillet with 1 tbsp of oil and soften your finely chopped onion and celery. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Try not to brown them, 5 to 7 minutes on medium - low heat should do the trick. Set aside in a large salad bowl. 
5. Rinse your parsley well and chop it finely followed by your dried cranberries and green onions. Add all this to the onion and celery mixture. 
6. Core and dice the apple, put your apple chunks in the bowl with the other ingredients. Squeeze the entire lemon over the apple to season the salad and prevent the apple from turning brown. 
7. Add your quinoa and hazelnuts to the mixture, drizzle with the oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Season with more lemon juice if you like. Mix well and cool completely. Allow the flavors to meld for 20 minutes before serving! 

Recipe is from Food52. They recommend using good quality dried cranberries. Craisins work but they tend to turn the salad a pinkish hue after a few hours, and may be too sweet.

Cranberry Apple Crisp Recipe

Cranberry Apple Crisp Recipe photo by Taste of Home

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 15 min. Bake: 50 min.
YIELD:6-8 servings

INGREDIENTS:
3 cups chopped peeled tart apples
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
TOPPING:
1-1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS:
1. Combine apples, cranberries, sugar and flour. Pour into a greased 11-in. x 7-in. baking dish. In a bowl, mix topping ingredients until crumbly; sprinkle over apple mixture. Bake at 350° for 50-55 minutes or until fruit is tender. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Nutritional Facts
1 serving (1 each) equals 407 calories, 15 g fat (7 g saturated fat), 31 mg cholesterol, 122 mg sodium, 66 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 4 g protein.

Recipe from mom, originally from Taste Of Home

Smoothie Sweet Potato Apple Bake

We used Cinnamon instead of Allspice

Coconut + M&M Magic Bars

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 25 mins, Cool Off time: at least an hour, Total time: 1 hour 35 mins
Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 12 - 16

Ingredients
1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs (or even 2 cups!)
½ cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups shredded coconut (recipe can be made without coconuts)
1 package semi sweet chocolate chips (12 ounces)
4 packages plain M&M’s (1.69oz x 4)
2 cups salted peanuts
1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 ounces)

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Line a 9x13 glass pan with parchment paper. Also works well with an 8x8 tin container.
3. In glass bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs and margarine.
4. Press evenly into pan.
5. Top with coconut, chocolate chips, M&M’s, and peanuts.
6. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over bars. Top it off with some more M&Ms for looks.
7. Bake for 25 minutes.
8. Cool at least an hour so it's not too liquidy, then cut into squares.

Recipe by Simply Shellie

Spring Pea Orzo

Photo: Helen Norman; Styling: Carrie Purcell

Ready in 25 minutes

DIRECTIONS
3 to 4 lemons
8 ounces uncooked orzo pasta (whole wheat optional)
1/4 cup minced shallot or red onion
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups cooked fresh or frozen peas
1 cup snow peas or sugar snap peas, blanched and chopped (I used frozen green beans)
1 cup assorted chopped fresh herbs (such as mint, chives, and parsley)
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
Optional - Athenos, Crumbled Feta with Garlic and Herbs, 4 oz

PREPARATION
1. Grate zest from lemons to equal 2 tsp. Cut lemons in half; squeeze juice from lemons to equal 1/2 cup.

2. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Whisk together shallots, next 4 ingredients, and lemon juice. Toss together pasta and shallot mixture. Cover with plastic wrap, and chill 1 to 48 hours.

3. Toss together pasta, peas, snow peas, next 2 ingredients, and lemon zest just before serving. Add salt, pepper, and additional lemon juice to taste. Sprinkle with feta cheese.

NOTES: from Southern Living's April 2014 issue. Reviews mentioned to use less shallots, lemon and mustard. 

Chicken in Tomato Sauce With Chickpeas and Kale

YIELD: Serves 4  *  ACTIVE TIME: 45 minutes  *  TOTAL TIME: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup breadcrumbs (I didn't use)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon dried oregano, divided
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon dried thyme, divided
1 medium garlic clove, minced or grated with a Microplane
4 skinless boneless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 shallot, thinly sliced
Pinch of dried red chili flakes
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
1 cup homemade chicken stock or store-bought, low-sodium chicken broth
1 (14-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 cups lacinato (Tuscan) kale, stems removed and leaves cut into 2-inch ribbons

DIRECTIONS:
1.  Optional if you are going to use breadcrumbs - Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until hot. Add the breadcrumbs and toast them, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon thyme, and the garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute longer. Transfer breadcrumbs to plate and set aside.

2.  Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. In the same skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chicken and sear on both sides until golden-brown, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.

3.  Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add shallot and a pinch of salt and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add chili flakes and remaining 1 tablespoon each oregano and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, their liquid and the stock and bring to a simmer, breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Simmer until sauce has thicken slightly, about 10 minutes. Add chicken and simmer until cooked through, about 5 minutes.

4.  Stir in chickpeas and kale and cook until chickpeas are warmed through and kale is wilted, about 2 minutes. Top with the breadcrumbs and serve immediately.

Recipe from Serious Eats.

Energizing Farro Citrus Lunch Bowl

Ready in 20 minutes
Serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup uncooked farro, prepared according to package instructions (15 minutes)
• a couple pieces of grilled chicken and/or egg
• 1 orange, sliced
• 1 shallot, thinly chopper and sauteed
• a couple scallions, green part
• 1/4 cup mint chopped
• optional add 1/2 avocado

DRESSING:

• white balsamic vinegar
• splash of olive oil
• 1 lemon, squeezed
• 1 orange, squeezed
• optional red pepper flakes and garlic

Green Chili Chicken & Quinoa Stew

Yields 5 servings. Total time 30 minutes.

Ingredients
2 14 oz jars of diced tomatoes & chilis
1 rotisserie chicken, skinned, boned, shredded
2/3 cup uncooked quinoa
3 cups chicken broth
1 can navy beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup sweet corn

Optional Add-Ons For Serving
3 plum tomatoes, diced
1 small jalapeno, seeded (or not) and diced
1/3 cup chopped red onion
Juice from 1/2 lime
Handful of cilantro

Directions
In a saucepan, bring quinoa and 2 cups chicken broth to a boil. Cook approximately 15 minutes, until quinoa gets a little translucent. Once done, transfer to soup pot on stove.

While making quinoa, skin, bone and shred the chicken. Put the chicken in soup pot, along with diced tomatoes, remaining cup chicken broth, navy beans and sweet corn. Simmer until heated through.

Serve with any of the optional add-ons.

Notes: recipe is an adapted version from confections of a foodie.

Sweet Potato, Cauliflower, & Kale Casserole

Yield: Makes 6 to 8 servings
Hands-on:55 Minutes
Total:1 Hour, 45 Minutes

Ingredients
1 head cauliflower (1 1/2 to 2 lb.), cut into small florets
1 (8-oz.) package fresh cremini mushrooms, stemmed and halved
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon ground cumin, divided
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
3 large sweet potatoes (2 1/2 to 3 lb.), peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups chopped fresh kale, collards, or mustard greens
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 (14-oz.) can butter beans, drained and rinsed (optional)
Easy Cheese Sauce (see below for recipe)
1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 475°. Toss together cauliflower, mushrooms, 2 1/2 Tbsp. oil, 1/2 tsp. cumin, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/8 tsp. pepper in a medium bowl. Spread cauliflower/mushroom mixture in a single layer in jelly-roll pan.

2. Toss together sweet potatoes, 2 1/2 Tbsp. oil, and remaining cumin, salt, and pepper. Spread in a single layer in another jelly-roll pan.

3. Bake potatoes and cauliflower at 475° for 10 to 12 minutes or until browned and just tender, turning once. Cool on wire racks 10 minutes.

4. Reduce oven temperature to 375°. Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; cook, stirring often, 1 minute. Add kale; cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until tender. Add salt and pepper to taste; stir in vinegar.

5. Layer half each of sweet potatoes, cauliflower mixture, beans (if desired), kale, and 1 1/2 cups Easy Cheese Sauce in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Repeat layers once. Top with remaining 1/2 cup cheese sauce. Stir together panko, chopped cilantro, and olive oil, and sprinkle crumb mixture over casserole. Note - I only did one layer of each. 

6. Bake at 375° for 20 to 25 minutes or until thoroughly heated, bubbly, and golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.



Easy Cheese Sauce Recipe (You can get away with only making a half of this recipe)

Yield: Makes 3 1/2 cups
Hands-on:25 Minutes
Total:25 Minutes

Ingredients
1/3 cup dry vermouth*
1 garlic clove, minced
3 cups half-and-half
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded pepper Jack cheese

Preparation
1. Bring vermouth and garlic to a boil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 7 to 10 minutes or until vermouth is reduced to 1 Tbsp.

2. Whisk together half-and-half and cornstarch. Whisk half-and-half mixture, salt, and pepper into vermouth mixture; bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking constantly. Boil, whisking constantly, 1 minute or until mixture is thickened. Add pepper Jack cheese. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, whisking constantly, 1 minute or until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. Remove from heat, and use immediately.

*Dry sherry may be substituted.

Recipe from Southern Living's January 2014 issue.

Quinoa Corn Edamame

YIELDS ABOUT 4 CUPS

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups frozen, shelled, edamame
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup cooked, cooled quinoa (leftover is great)
1 green onion, sliced (just green parts)
½ red sweet bell pepper, diced
2 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro
1½ Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp chili powder
¼ tsp dried thyme
⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper
dash of cayenne

STEP 1:
Briefly boil the edamame and the corn, just until tender. Drain very well and cool completely.

STEP 2:
In a large bowl, combine the edamame, corn, quinoa, green onion, red pepper and cilantro.

STEP 3:
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lime juice, salt, chili powder, black pepper, thyme and cayenne until emulsified. Drizzle mixture over salad mixture and toss to coat. Cover and chill for at least two hours

Recipe found on 86 lemons.

Patriotic Peanut Butter Cookies (Frosted)

Prep time: 20 mins  *  Cook time: 20 mins  *  Total time: 40 mins  *  Serves: 24

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup butter (room temperature)
• 1½ cups dark brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1½ cup chunky peanut butter (room temperature)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• 4 cups white chocolate chips
• 6 teaspoons vegetable shortening
• red food coloring
• blue food coloring

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
• In a stand mixer, combine the softened butter with the dark brown sugar and granulated sugar until well mixed.
• Add the eggs and continue mixing until the eggs are completely incorporated.
• Now pour the vanilla extract into the cookie dough and mixer for 30 seconds to combine.
• Add the chunky peanut butter to the bowl and mix for 2 minutes, or until the peanut butter is completely mixed into the dough.
• Now add the salt, baking soda, and flour and mix slowly for 2-3 minutes. The dough should be very sticky.
• Scoop the dough onto un-greased baking sheets (2-3 tablespoons per cookie). Lightly press the cookie down to form a small disk (do not use a fork!).
• Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges start to brown. Remove from the oven and let sit for a minute before moving to a cooling rack. Once the cookies are cool to the touch, move them to the refrigerator or freezer to cool completely.
• While the cookies are cooling, separate the white chocolate chips into 3 bowls and add 2 teaspoons of shortening to each bowl. Microwave for 60-90 seconds to melt the chocolate. Add red coloring to one of the bowls and blue to another.
• Once the cookies are cooled, place the cookies upside-down into the plain white melted chocolate to coat the top of the cookie. Place back in the refrigerator or freezer so that the chocolate can harden.
• To add the red and blue stripes, use a spoon to spread the red and blue chocolate over ⅓ of the cookie. Again, place back in the refrigerator or freezer to harden. Store in the refrigerator until serving.
• Note - I found it hard to apply colored frosting on top of the white frosting. As an alternative, I used a zip lock bag to pipe the colored frosting through.

Recipe from Zack and Cilantro Saga on Cooking & Beer.

Hot Cross Buns (Cinnamon Raisin Bread)

Active Time: 15, Total Time:  3.25 hours, Serves 13

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45
degrees C)
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon instant powdered milk
1/4 cup white sugar
3/8 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 egg white
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
3/4 cup dried raisins (or currants)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons water

CREAM CHEESE ICING
1 tablespoon cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS:
1. Put warm water, butter, skim milk powder, 1/4 cup sugar, salt, egg, egg white, flour, and yeast in bread maker and start on dough program. My bread maker sets this program for 2 hours and 20 minutes.
2. When 5 minutes of kneading are left, add raisins and cinnamon. Leave in machine till double.
3. Punch down on floured surface, cover, and let rest 10 minutes.
4. Shape into 12 balls and place in a greased 9 x 12 inch pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place till double, about 35-40 minutes. I was able to let it rest for 10 minutes and it turned out fine.
5. Mix egg yolk and 2 tablespoons water. Brush on balls.
6. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 20 minutes. Remove from pan immediately and cool on wire rack.
7. To make crosses: mix together confectioners' sugar, and cream cheese. Put in a zip lock back and cut a corner, to allow icing an X on each cooled bun.

From AllRecipes.com. Frosting from previous recipe.

Winter Kale & Squash Citrus Salad

Ingredients
Kale
Butternut Squash, peeled, cut & roasted in 400 degree oven for 1 hour
Grapefruit
Dried Cranberries
Raw Cashews
Cherry Tomatoes
Balsamic Vinaigrette for dressing

Apple and Cabbage Oven Baked Chicken

Picture credit from The Healthy Foodie.
Serves 2.   Ready-in 1.5 hours

I N G R E D I E N T S
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 small onion, thinly sliced
½ small Savoy cabbage, shredded
1 Red Delicious apple, thinly sliced
1 Golden Delicious apple, thinly sliced
½ cup all natural unsweetened apple juice
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary, finely chopped
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper

I N S T R U C T I O N S
Preheat oven to 375F

Prepare ahead

Thinly slice the onion and apples and shred the cabbage as finely as possible. The use of a mandolin is strongly recommended here.
In an oven safe dish (mine was about 7" x 7") add about 1/3 of the shredded cabbage, followed by ½ the onion and ½ the apples.
Continue layering by adding another 1/3 of the cabbage, the rest of the onions, the rest of the apple slices and finally, the rest of the cabbage. Set aside.
Place your chicken breasts on top of the cabbage and add another sprig of rosemary, if desired.

In a small mixing bowl, add apple juice, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, rosemary, salt and pepper and mix until well combined. Pour over chicken and cabbage mixture.
Cover with aluminum foil and cook in the oven for about an hour, until chicken is cooked through.
Remove the chicken breasts and slice them on a diagonal
Divide cabbage/apple mixture between 2 serving plates and place sliced chicken breasts on top.
Serve immediately.

N O T E S
*  Recipe from The Healthy Foodie.
*  I put my oven safe dish over a cookie sheet in the oven and covered with tinfoil and this led to a very slow cook. Recommend not using cookie sheet, and removing tinfoil for a few minutes.
*  Double-recipe quantity = 6 servings. Delic left overs, maybe make triple next time & freeze individual meal-sized portions.

Moroccan Nectarine and Plum Chicken Tagine

Prep time: 15, Cook Time: 40,
Ready in: 55 minutes, Servings: 4

Ingredients: 
1 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 lb chicken thighs
1 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp ginger, grated
4 nectarines, stoned and sliced
4 plums, stoned and sliced
1/2 cup water
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 pinch saffron
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup kalamata olives, chopped (instead of olives,  I put chickpeas)
1 tbsp harissa
1 tbsp honey
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a medium pan over medium heat.  Brown the chicken on all sides, then remove to a plate.

2. Heat the second tbsp of oil and cook the onions until just starting to brown. Add in the garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant.

3. Add in the nectarines, plums, water, paprika, cayenne, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, saffron, salt and pepper.  Cover and simmer for fifteen minutes.

4. Add in the chicken, harissa, lemon, honey, and olives.  Simmer, covered, for 25 minutes.

5. Mix in the parsley and cilantro and serve.

Comments: Recipe from Joanne Eats Well With Others. Ingredients about $13 for 4 servings. 

Israeli Roast Eggplant, Hummus, and Pickle Pitas

INGREDIENTS

1 large baking potato

Salt

1 medium eggplant, sliced 1/2 inch thick

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing

1 cucumber—peeled, halved, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice

1 large tomato, cut into 1/2-inch dice

1 large jalapeño, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Freshly ground pepper

4 thick, sturdy pita breads, warmed

1 cup hummus

1/4 cup tahini, at room temperature

4 large hard-cooked eggs, sliced

4 small dill pickles, thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 425°. In a small saucepan, cover the potato with 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Cook over moderate heat until just tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and let cool, then peel the potato and slice it 1/4 inch thick. Season the potato slices with salt.

Meanwhile, arrange the eggplant slices on a rimmed baking sheet and brush both sides with olive oil. Season with salt and bake for about 10 minutes, until browned and tender.

In a large bowl, add the cucumber, tomato, jalapeño, garlic, cilantro and parsley. Toss with the lemon juice and 3 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Cut off 2 inches from the side of the warm pitas to make openings in the pockets. Gently open the pitas. Spread the hummus on the bottoms and 1 tablespoon of tahini over it. Layer the potato slices, eggplant, egg and cucumber-tomato salad in the pitas, along with some of the salad juices. Top with the pickle slices and serve.

COMMENTS

Recipe found in Food & Wine's July 2012 Issue, posted with the following comments:

At Butcher & Bee in Charleston, S.C., owner Michael Shemtov and chef Stuart Tracy prepare this messy, incredibly tasty vegetarian sandwich, called a sabich, with vegetables, hummus, house-baked pita and herbs from a garden right behind the restaurant. “The sandwich is Iraqi-Israeli, just like me,” Shemtov says. “It’s a personal dish.”